Rail-joint.



PATENTED MAY 17, .1904. E. H. TUTTLE.

RAIL JOINT.

PATENTED MAY 17. 1904.

E. H. TUTTLB.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23, 1904.

2 SHEETS-$112121 2.

N0 MODEL.

Patented May 17, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDSON H. TUTTLE, OF (JONNEAUT, OHIO.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,357, dated May 17,1904.

Application filed January 28, 1904:. Eierial No. 190,351. (No model.)

To all whom it Wtay concern:

Be it known that 1, Emma H. TU'rrLn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Conneaut, in the county of Ashtabula and State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in rail-joints; andits object is to so form the ends of rails as to permit them tointerlock, so as to prevent independent longitudinal movement.

A further object is to provide rail ends which will serve to supporteach other and prevent sagging thereof.

Another object is to provide means whereby the rails may be securelylocked together against displacement.

1V ith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of arail having one end enlarged laterally and provided with alongitudinally extending slot which extends through the head and aportion of the web thereof. The head is cut away at the inner end of theslot, and the enlarged portion of the web is provided with outerinclined faces.

The invention alsoconsists of a rail having one end provided with alongitudinally-extending tongue equal in area to the slot, and thistongue has lateral extensions adapted to fit within the cut-away portionof the head and to aline therewith. Enlargements are formed at oppositesides of the web of this rail, and retaining-keys are adapted to beinserted between these enlargements and the inclined faces of the web ofthe first-mentioned rail, and thereby securely fasten the two railstogether.

The invention also consists in the further novel construction andcombination of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form ofmy invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of two railsconnected by means of my improved joint. Fig. 2 is a central verticalsection there through. Fig. 3 is aperspcctive view of one end of a railand constituting one element of the oint. Fig. 41s aperspective new ofthe other end of said rail which constitutes the other element of thejoint, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the locking-blocks.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 is the tread, 2 theweb, and 3 the base, of a rail, and formed at opposite sides of the webat one end of the rail are enlargements 1, the inner ends of which areinclined downward and inward to form an inclined face 5. Atransversely-extending groove 6 is formed within the head 1 at a pointre moved from one end of the rail, and this groove is intersected by aslot 7, which extends longitudinally within the rail from the inner wallof groove 6 to the adjoining end of the rail. The width of this slot isequal to the thickness of the web 2. The other end of the rail has alongitudinally-extcnding tongue 8, equal in form and area to the slot 7and havinglateral extensions 9 at its end which conform in contour tothe head 1 and are adapted to be seated within the groove 6.Enlargements 10 are formed at the sides of web 2 at points removed fromthe tongue 8, and the outer ends 11 of these enlargements are preferablyat right angles to the base of the rail. An aperture 12 extends throughthe web 2 adjacent the ends 11.

To secure together rails constructed in the manner herein described, thetongue 8 of one of the rails is inserted into the slot 7 of theadjoining rail, and extensions 9 on said tongue will rest in the groove6, and their outer faces will aline with the other faces of the head 1,and a smooth and continuous rail will be thus produced. Locking-blocks13, having beveled ends, are then placed at opposite sides of the webs2, with the beveled ends thereof contacting with the inclined ends 5 ofthe enlargements 4. Each block has an aperture 1 1 therein for thereception of a bolt 15, which extends through aperature 12 and serves tosecure the blocks in position. After these looking-blocks have beensecured in place it is impossible to move the joined ends of the railsin any direction independently of each other,

'and the only way to detach the rails is to first remove the blocks 13,after which the tongue 8 can be lifted out of the groove 7. By providinga joint of this character a secure connection between rails is produced,and pounding by car-wheels passing thereover or sagging of the ends ofthe rails is prevented.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of myinvention; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware thatmodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the ad vantages thereof, and I therefore reserve theright to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of myinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In arail-joint, the combination with a rail having a transversely-extendinggroove in the head thereof, a longitudinal slot within the head andintersecting the groove, and enlargements at the sides of the railhaving downwardly and inwardly beveled outer ends; of a second railhaving a longitudinally-extending tongue at one end thereof adapted tobe seated within the slot, lateral extensions upon the tongue adapted tofit within the groove, enlargements at the sides of said rails, andlocking-blocks detachably secured between the enlargements of the rails.

2. In a rail-joint, the combination with a longitudinallyslotted railhaving enlargements at the sides thereof; of a second rail having alongitudinally extending tongue adapted to be seated within the grooveand enlargements upon the sides of the rail, means for preventingindependent longitudinal movement of the rails, and locking-blocksinterposed between the extensions of the rails.

3. A rail having a transversely-extending groove in the head thereof andadjacent one end thereof, said groove being intersected by alongitudinally-extending slot, enlargements at opposite sides of theslotted portion of the rail and provided with downwardly and inwardlyinclined ends, a longitudinally-extending tongue at the other end of therail and having lateral extensions, and enlargements at opposite sidesof the rail and adjacent the tongue.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDSON H. TUTTLE.

Witnesses:

A. B. ORITTENDEN, MYRTLE E. SHARPE.

